Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1887-09-09
GRAND SCENERY.
Graphic Description of the Great stone
Face Of the "Msn of the Mountains.-

Graphic Description of the Great stone
Face Of the "Man of the Mountains.-
The vicinity of Franconia Notch, i'm
New Hampshire, abounds in scenery
which is wild and rugged. but pictu-
rescue beyond description. Such II
union of granite hills and grassy dells,
of rock. and lake, and river, such a
mingling of the beautiful and grand.
is to be found nowhere.else in America
The bold outlines of Mt. Lafayette
are near ut hand. with mountain-top
looming over mountain-top in the dis
lance. Here are Cannon Mountain
and Eagle Cliff. one on the right hand
and the other on the left, forming the
walls Of the Notch, while nestled in the
valley ut their feet lies Echo Lake.
twin sister of the morntains.
Further to the south is the Flumc. a
mammoth assure in the rocks. 700 feet
in length, and with perpendicular walls
60 or 20 feet in height; and little
distance away are the Pool and Basin.
with other curiositics o.. .s "a .s ... -
But the browning feature of the scene
is the wonderful Profile, the great
stone face of the "Old Man of the
Mountains. which keeps guard over
the Notch, and casts its shadows i'm the
limpid waters of Profile Lake. This is
the closest resemblance to the human
face which has ever been found ia
natural scenery anywhere in the world
1t is carved in solid rock upon the
southern face, Cannon Mountain, and
measures so feet from forehead to chin.
while the top of the mountain is 1000
feet above the. lake. at its foot, and
nearly 1000 feet above sea level. The
outlines of the face are composed of
three great masses of rock, one of
which forms the forehead, another the
lose and upper lip, and third the
chin. s..s.,-
TO obtain this outline in its perfec-
ton, one point of view is necessarv-a
small cleared space, close by the noun
tain road, and on the eastern edge of
Profile Lake. Looking across the lake
from this point, the bold outlines of
Cannon Mountain loom up but half
mile away, and far up its sides, looking
down upon the valley, is the face of the
Old Man of the Mountains, stern, bold,
relentless, unchanging. ale neither
blinks ut the near flashes of lightning
beneath his nose, nor tlinches from the
driving snow and slect of the Franconia
winter, which makes the mercury of
the thermometer shrink into the bulb
and CONCEAL. -, -. .
Passing down the road, the Old Mans
face changes first into that of ~ tooth
less old woman in mob cap" and
soon the entire outline is broken NJ
and the resemblance is lost. Going up
the road. the nose and face fiatten out
until only the forehead is seen.
The profile is said to have been dis
covered in 1905 by two workmen on
the mountain road. 1t had, however
been known for ages to the Indians,
who attributed to it supernatural at
tributes. They even feared to fish in
the lake at its feet, or to sail their bark
canoes over its waters, from fear of the
stern face which it reflected. Many
legends and tales have been related
concerning the wonderful face. In one
of these it is represented rs the face of
Christ the Judge-"C hrist'ts FudeT,"
Some one has written concerning it:
"Mcn put out signs representing the
different trades; jewellers hang out II
monster watch; shocmakcrs huge
boot; and up here in Franconia, God
Almighty has hung out Il sign that in
New England he makes men. -
Woman's Magazi,ac.